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BANTAM DESCRIPTION
Prices: Bantam 4 Cylinder Rotax 582 65 h.p. NZ$ 38 181-00
Bantam 4 Cylinder Jabiru 85 h.p. 2200 NZ$ 44 545-00
Bantam 4 cyl Cylinder 95 h.p.UL260i Fuel injected NZ$ 51,818-00
Bantam 6 Cylinder Jabiru 120 h.p. 3300 NZ$ 51 818-00
Number of seats and luggage: 2 seats and small luggage area
Engine Type: Jabiru 85 or 120 h.p., Rotax 582, UL260i
Fuel Burn: 14-17 ltrs/hour 20 ltrs/hour full power
Tank Capacity: 50 liter standard, 80 liter tank opt.
Range and endurance: 3,2 h 400 km or 5,2 h 640 km
Propeller type and operation: Fixed pitch, 2 blade wooden laminated
Undercarriage: Fixed Tricycle
Type of construction: Tubular Aluminum
Lead Time for Ordering: 3-5 months
Standard Avionics: Flight
and Engine Instruments
Type of construction:
Tubular fuselage with fabric and fiberglass covering
Wing is high and braced with metal spars and ribs. Wing is covered with heavy
Grade Dacron. ----Wing has full length flaperons which are broadest in-board in
the area of your prop wash. The flaperons are lever operated.
The controls are conventional 3 axis with pilots joystick centrally positioned.
This a/c is fully dual controlled and can be flown from either side. All control
surfaces are exceptionally large, which makes the Bantam extremely capable in
windy conditions. The rudder is larger than the fin, the elevator is larger than
the stabilizer and the ailerons are full length and largest in the propwash.
The Bantam does not come with radio, intercom or headsets which are optional
extras, as are wheel spats and strobe lights.
The Bantam can be adapted for use by paraplegic pilots such as Andre' Goosen in
Nelspruit who has already logged over 200 hours.
The Bantam is also available on floats and has been very successfully used in
crop spraying.
The factory is busy with certification and flight tests on a 6 cyl. 120
h.p. version for very high altitude work. This a/c should be available to us in
S.A. with-in the next 3 months.
We have been advised by the factory that a kit version will become a reality
towards the end of next year.
Micro Aviation in S.A. have sold 102 Bantams since starting our sales drive in
2003.
The Bantam is more a light aircraft than a '' micro-light '' and can be financed
through most of the banking institutions. We do offer very affordable insurance
and financing through through stannic if required.
The Bantam B22j at a purchase price of NZD44000-00 excl. vat. is the best value
for money a/c available to anyone wanting a good workhorse or just plain fun
flying. Because of its extremely quiet operation and very short field take-off
and landing capabilities and the fact that she can fly at 25knots the Bantam is
being used extensively in the farming and nature conservation industries these
days, with national parks using them as well. This a/c has an incredible
capability in windy conditions and will still be flying long after other light
a/c are grounded. The centre line of thrust around very large control surfaces
has much to do with this useful capability. One up, the Bantam leaps into the
air in 25m and can land and stop in 30m. She far out-performs other
Stol advertised a/c that cost more than twice as much as the Bantam.
Should repairs become necessary this a/c is very easy to work on. One can
replace a wing spar with-out major expense, in 5 hours. The same goes for
wing-ribs that might get damaged from bird strikes or taxi-ing damage ect. The
large wrap-around Perspex windscreen gives one more a feeling of flying in a
helicopter than a light aircraft. The visibility out of a Bantam is very, very
good with no engine or engine cowlings in front of you. These aircraft can
comfortably be flown all around the country no matter what the distance is.
The Bantam has an incredible safety record in S.A. as well as overseas. In S.A
of the 60 Bantams flying for the last 2.5 years we have had two accidents, both
non fatal. The first accident was caused by insulation tape being ingested into
the carb which caused the engine to lose power. The pilot executed a perfect
forced landing with little damage and no injury. The second case was a bird
strike on take-off (Guinea fowl) which shattered the prop. We were in fact
congratulated by aviation officials on our excellent safety record.
Hourly running costs working on a 2000 hour TBO works out to R145.90 This is
without insurance but includes MOgas, filters and maintenance.
The B22J has no vices and is an extremely easy 3-axis a/c to fly. She can be
registered as a light a/c and can be used to build up PPL hours.
The Bantam B22J is now being used by the S.A.Police Services for aerial
surveillance, crime fighting and visible policing.
South African National Parks Board have also purchased Bantams for use in the
conservation industry, because of the fantastic visibility and very quiet
operation,
Micro Aviation distribute a monthly newsletter to all Bantam owners with news of
what's happening in the Bantam world, what safety features are applicable, who's
training, who's just soloed and who's been where, and when. All Bantam owners
are encouraged to contribute to this publication which keeps us a closely knit
family.
Micro Aviation are now distributing in South Africa, Zambia, Swaziland ,
Mozambique and the
Seychelles.
BANTAM B22J STANDARD EQUIPMENT LIST
ALTIMETER
AIRSPEED INDICATOR
COMPASS
SLIP INDICATOR
TACHOMETER
OIL PRESSURE GAUGE
OIL TEMPERATURE GAUGE
ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP
MECHANICAL FUEL PUMP ON JABIRU ENGINE
CYLINDER HEAD TEMPERATURE GAUGE
FUEL SPY GLASS AND FILTER
ELECTRIC START, BATTERY AND MASTER SWITCH
DUAL MAGNETOS
DUAL HYDRAULIC DISC BRAKES
FACTORY SUPPLIED REGISTRATION LETTERS
SIDE BY SIDE UPHOLSTERED BUCKET SEATS
DUAL SIDE POCKETS FOR MAPS, PAPERS, ETC.
FULL DUAL CONTROLS FOR STUDENT/INSTRUCTOR TRAINING
PANEL MOUNTED FUSE HOLDERS FOR POWER SYSTEMS
HAND OPERATED FLAP LEVER
P.T.T. BUTTON MOUNTED IN CONTROL STICK
FACTORY MOUNTED AERIAL AND CO-AX CABLE TO INS. PANEL
STAINLESS STEEL EXHAUST SYSTEM
NEW JABIRU 4 STROKE ENGINE WITH HYDRAULIC TAPPETS
AND OIL COOLER FITTED AS STANDARD EQUIPMENT.
THE BANTAM STORY
BANTAM B22J
Affordable, safe flying for beginner and experienced aviators alike
New Zealand is a country of extreme variations in topography and weather. Not
exactly friendly for light aircraft, so one can say that any flying machine
developed, built and perfected for New Zealand conditions will be more than
suitable for practically anywhere else on the planet.
With its highly competitive price, handling and performance figures giving it a
decided edge on the market and leading to sales of over 72 units since April
2003, the New Zealand-built Bantam B22J has become the top selling light
aircraft for agricultural,conservation, private flying and ab-initio flight
training in South Africa.
It is a conventional 3-axis highwing monoplane with side-by-side seating, dual
rudder pedals,dual throttle and central joystick. The open cockpit is partly
enclosed by an aerodynamic fibreglass pod and a large wrap-around windshield
that completely protects the pilot and passenger from wind and rain. The
tricycle undercarriage consists of a steerable nose wheel and 14-inch main
wheels, fitted with hydraulic disc brakes. The flap and aileron
functions are combined in the flaperons, their extra large control surfaces
giving the plane the ability to fly in wind that would ground many other
aircraft.
It is powered by an Australian 2,2-litre air-cooled four-stroke 85-horsepower
Jabiru aircraft engine, running on AVGAS or 95 octane PETROL .The new generation
Jabiru engines now have hydraulic tappets, and you never have to adjust valves,
as in the past. The engine is situated in line with the wings, ahead of and
above the windscreen.These are fully certified Aircraft Engines that comply with
ASTM standard F2339-04. and are now rated 2000 hour TBO. Note; As with genuine
a/c engines like Lycomingand Continental’s there is no water cooling, or
radiators or radiator hoses or water pumps or fan belts……all additional things
that can go wrong, which you don’t need in an aircraft engine ! The Jabiru
engine operates between 2600 and 2800 rpm, cruise power, and has a max rpm of
2900 here in Nelspruit 3000 ft. ASL
Other engines which operate between 5000 and 6000 rpm have to have reduction
gearboxes fitted. This unnecessary extra weight also costs a lot of money to
maintain with the mandatory regular overhauls ! Jabiru keep it simple and
efficient, and much cheaper to operate
Performance, especially the take-off and climb characteristics, is quite
sensational. One-up, the Bantam literally leaps into the air in less than 20 m
and will be 500 ft above the ground at the end of the average runway. At cruise
it is docile and vice free, and can be flown hands-off. This makes it the most
ideal training aircraft on the market today. The Bantam does not suffer from the
terrible adverse yaw tendencies that a lot of similar light aircraft have .In
fact a pilot can fold his feet and not have to touch the rudders once the Bantam
is airborne,……..there is nothing as directionally stable as a B22J.
Because of the short take off and landing ability, very silent operation and
low-speed performance, the B22J has become invaluable to game and stock farmers,
being used for checking livestock and game, radio-tracking, checking water holes
and windmills, checking boundary fences and firebreaks, anti-poaching patrol,
and game viewing and counting. It is also used for coastal patrol and whale
watching on the South African coastline.
The Limpopo National Park (1 000 000ha), a part of the Frontier
National Park, have just taken delivery of the first of two Bantams ordered for
anti-poaching and fence line patrols.
The South African Police Service have just taken delivery of their
first Bantam B22j ZU - DXS to be used for crime fighting in Mpumalanga. They
were most impressed with the aircraft’s amazing flying ability in strong winds,
as well as the very good visibility and quiet operation.
South African National Parks Board have also BOUGHT 2 Bantams for
use in the Kruger Park and Addo Elephant Park respectively. Because the engine
is above the line of sight of the pilot and co-pilot , and there are no cowlings
in front of you,the visibility is fantastic. With the large wrap around
windscreen you get more of a feeling of being in a helicopter than a light
aircraft !
Included as standard are dual magneto ignition, a battery and electric starter.
Instrumentation includes an airspeed indicator, tachometer, slip indicator,
altimeter,, compass, cylinder head temperature gauge, engine oil pressure gauge,
engine oil temperature gauge, factory installed radio antenna and co-ax cable to
instrument panel. A radio, intercom and headsets are optional extras.
Although it will later also be available in kit form, the Bantam B22J is not a
kit-built aircraft.It is delivered fully built and tested, enabling a new owner
to be up and flying within weeks of ordering without the daunting and
time-consuming tasks of building and painting, arranging and paying for official
inspections, test-flying, registering and, most importantly, hoping that the
components are as strong and as reliable as the manufacturer claims them to be.
With an officially type-certified airframe, components and flight
characteristics, a certified aircraft may also be used for flight training. It
may be hired out, may be flown into controlled airspace and over built-up areas,
and has a higher resale value.
A crop-spraying version has proved to be extremely effective, while even a
special version with modified controls for paraplegic pilots is available. A
paraplegic pilot, Mr Andre Goosen from Nelspruit, has logged over 200 hours in
his Bantam to date.A float version using “ Full Lotus floats “ as well as an
amphibious version is also available.
The Bantam range is priced from NZD38000- NZD52000 excluding VAT but including
freight and insurance from New Zealand to Nelspruit. The delivery time is 12
weeks. A choice of a wide range of colours is available, with 4 standard
patterns offered.
A site by Terry Pappas